Political allegiance    by Trevor Pritchard   Page 2

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Divine Action

The message of the Christian gospel is that God has done so much already to remedy our individual situation and that more is yet to come! But when I tell those to whom I speak of the message of personal salvation from our sins by the willing sacrifice of Christ, they say, “Yes, that’s all very well but it isn’t that that I’m thinking about. It’s all the unhappiness and unrest in the world, the inability of man to discover the secret of peace and harmony amongst the nations of the world. Why doesn’t God, if He’s listening, do something about that!” Professor CS Lewis was right when he wrote nearly 70 years ago: “Man has tried to invent some sort of happiness for himself outside God, apart from God. And out of all that hopeless attempt has come nearly all that we call human history –money, poverty, ambition, war, prostitution, classes, empires, slavery – the long terrible story of man trying to find something other than God which will make him happy”.

Christadelphians believe that two things are inextricably linked together: These two things are brought into focus together and find their solution in the work of the greatest man ever to live – Jesus Christ – and by no one else!

Coming World Ruler


The world was designed to be God- centred and there will come a time when man with his empty philosophies has to answer for choosing to forget that. Man rejects the whole idea of Jesus Christ as a judge. No one likes Jesus when he says that this way is wrong and this other way is right. The Bible teaches us that human nature is indeed flawed and that only the God of heaven can, through the redeeming work of His Son, put that right and hence put the world to rights. But this cannot be by any democratic process. Democracy has been tried and has failed. It always results in people who are unable to rule themselves and therefore are incapable of ruling others.

True followers of Jesus Christ are not democrats at heart. Putting the world to rights is a matter of divine intervention in the political affairs of mankind, not of man striving after the wind. Just look at some of the prophecies about Jesus Christ from the Old Testament which tell us what he is destined to do when he returns as king:

I will declare the decree: The LORD has said to me, ‘You are my Son, Today I have begotten you. Ask of me, and I will give you the nations for your inheritance, and the ends of the earth for your possession. You shall break them with a rod of iron; you shall dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel’” Now therefore, be wise, O kings; be instructed, you judges of the earth”
(Psalm 2:7-10).

There shall come forth a Rod from the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots. The Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD. His delight is in the fear of the LORD, and he shall not judge by the sight of his eyes, nor decide by the hearing of his ears; but with righteousness he shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth. He shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall slay the wicked” (Isaiah 11:1-4). (See also Daniel 7:13-14 and Zechariah 14:4,7-9).

God’s Unfinished Business

Some would discard such militant views of the Lord Jesus saying that the picture of him presented by the New Testament is quite different. But just research these passages in the NewTestament: The whole Bible makes it clear that the Creator, the God of Israel, is to powerfully and dramatically intervene in the political affairs of mankind in the person of His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus is to return to this earth to rule in righteousness. When he came last time, over 2000 years ago, he came as a sacrifice, to resolve the problem of the sinfulness of mankind just as the prophets said he would (see Psalm 22:7,8, 13-18 and Isaiah 53:3-5).

Peacemaker
 
Jesus, by his outstanding sacrifice, removed that apparently insurmountable barrier of sin and brought the possibility of peace of mind to individual men and women, so that we can come to God. It is through the grace and mercy of God that my sins can be forgiven. When I have confessed and disowned them, only then can I be freed from the shackles of sin and death. And what is true for me is true for all of us. Once we have peace with God through the saving work of Jesus the vista really opens up for us all. We can look forward to the return of the Lord Jesus Christ in power and great glory. After detailing dreadful things that were to happen on earth – many of which we have now experienced – Jesus said this:

"... Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near”
(Luke 21:27-28).

Christadelphian Politics

These are my politics and the outcome is absolutely certain. It doesn’t depend on the decisions of human governments, however appointed. For this is what the prophets of God promise:

Then justice will dwell in the wilderness, and righteousness remain in the fruitful field. The work of righteousness will be peace, and the effect of righteousness, quietness and assurance forever”
(Isaiah 32:16,17).

I cannot give my allegiance to any other political view. My religion and my politics are one and the same. The realisation of my hopes does not depend upon a General Election. Come what may, Jesus Christ will come. Whatever the UN decides, he will come. Whatever the European Community imposes, he will come. Whatever you personally decide about him, he will come. For the Scripture stands sure:

The LORD shall be King over all the earth. In that day it shall be – 'the LORD is one, and his name one”
(Zechariah 14:9).

Why don’t you join all those who share the splendid hope of being a part of that glorious multitude who will welcome Jesus Christ as King when he comes to reign over the world from Jerusalem? This is the ultimate choice: will you put your trust and confidence in God or man? We urge you to choose to follow the ways of God.

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